The Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi (IIT Mandi) will host the third edition of HIVE, an international conclave on artificial intelligence, from March 30 to April 1 at its campus, with a focus on multimodal AI and human-centred technologies.

Organised in collaboration with its Technology Innovation Hub, the event is expected to bring together over 500 participants, including startups, researchers, and industry leaders, to explore advances in collaborative intelligence and real-world AI applications. INFOSYS co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan will inaugurate the conclave as chief guest.

The institute said that this year’s edition will focus on multimodal AI, which integrates inputs such as speech, vision, gestures and sensor data, moving beyond traditional systems that process information in isolation. The discussions will examine how such technologies can improve decision-making across sectors including healthcare, manufacturing, mobility and education.

The conclave will feature participation from global companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Bosch and Honeywell, alongside researchers from leading institutions including Stanford University and IISc Bengaluru.

According to organisers, the event will also address themes such as responsible AI, as interest in multimodal systems grows globally due to their ability to better reflect real-world human interactions.

Somjit Amrit, CEO of the Technology Innovation Hub at IIT Mandi, said, "By investing in multimodal AI research, the Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) at IIT Mandi, we are laying the foundation for fluidic humanoid robots (human-like robots) that would redefine human relationship with machines."

The conclave aims to strengthen industry–academia collaboration and position itself as a platform for shaping the future of next-generation AI technologies.